Employment Immigration
Employment-based (EB) visas are issued to different types of employees in five different categories defined by U.S. immigration law. These visas are immigrant visas as opposed to temporary, non-immigrant visas, meaning that the holder of an EB Visa can live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. The five preference categories are as follows:
- EB-1 – This visa is for workers of extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics. This category also includes individuals who are outstanding professors or researchers, as well as multinational managers or executives.
- EB-2 – The EB-2 category is for professionals holding an advanced degree (beyond a Bachelor’s) with at least five years of progressive experience in the profession, as well as persons of exceptional ability in the sciences, arts or business.
- EB-3 – This category includes skilled workers and professionals as well as unskilled workers. An unskilled worker is a person capable of filling a position that requires less than two years of training or experience.
- EB-4 – Certain special immigrants may apply for a visa in the EB-4 category, including broadcasters, religious workers, and certain people who worked abroad for the U.S. government or aided the U.S. armed forces in certain missions.
- EB-5 – This last preference category is for immigrant investors infusing capital into new commercial enterprises in the U.S. which will create jobs. Investors may also immigrate under an E-1 or E-2 investor visa.